Biomechanics & Biomaterials
Duke MEMS faculty are exploring a deep and rich array of biological phenomena to unlock discoveries leading to new bio-inspired materials. Building on our discoveries, we are solving analytical and biomechanical problems with clinical relevance.
We work closely with Duke collaborators in biomedical engineering, the natural sciences, Duke Nicholas School of the Environment and Duke University Medical Center in numerous research and educational activities.
Research Areas
- Acoustofluidics and microfluidics
- Biomaterials and soft matter
- Biomechanical engineering
- Medical device development
- Nanoscience and nanomedicine
- Tissue engineering
Major Centers & Initiatives
We foster strong and growing multidisciplinary connections with faculty across Duke University and beyond that include:
Related Study Opportunities
PhD
Specializations include:
Master of Science (MS) or Master of Engineering (MEng)
Concentrations include:
Further Options at Duke
Duke University Program in Materials Science and Engineering
The program offers a general materials science and engineering (MSE) curriculum and degree title. Learn more »
Associated Faculty
Wilkins Aquino
Anderson-Rupp Professor of Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science
Research Interests: Computational mechanics, finite element methods, computational inverse problems and their applications in engineering and biomedicine, scientific computing, computational acoustics and acoustics-structure interaction, coupled chemo-mechanics (e.g., electrochemistry-mechanics).
Gaurav Arya
Associate Professor of Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science
Research Interests: Molecular modeling, molecular simulations, statistical mechanics, coarse-graining, machine learning, polymer and colloidal physics, polymer-nanoparticle composites, chromatin biophysics, DNA nanotechnology, viral DNA packaging, single-molecule force spectroscopy, nanoscale...
Matthew L Becker
Hugo L. Blomquist Distinguished Professor of Chemistry
Research Interests: Polymer chemistry; bioconjugate chemistry; molecular imaging and additive manufacturing; materials for bone, soft tissue, neural and vascular tissue engineering; drug and protein delivery; degradable materials for flexible electronics
L. Catherine Brinson
Sharon C. and Harold L. Yoh, III Distinguished Professor
Research Interests: Study of advanced material systems and developing new methods to characterize and to model material behavior. Her lab’s research objective is to characterize and model advanced materials systems, at scales spanning the range of molecular interactions, micromechanical and...
Chuan-Hua Chen
Associate Professor of Mechanical Engineering & Materials Science
Research Interests: Experimental and theoretical research coupling physicochemical hydrodynamics with interfacial engineering
Ken Gall
Professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science
Research Interests: Materials science, mechanical properties, metals and polymers. Specialties: Shape memory materials, biomaterials, 3D printing.
Laurens E. Howle
Associate Professor of Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science
Research Interests: Hydroelastic modeling of deformable structures, transport in thermal and chemical systems, experimental and computational fluid dynamics, nonlinear and complex systems, heat and mass transport in biological systems, stability of fluid motions, machine learning, data mining,...
Tony Jun Huang
William Bevan Distinguished Professor of Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science
Research Interests: Acoustofluidics, microfluidics, lab-on-a-chip, biomedical micro-electro-mechanical systems (BioMEMS), optofluidics, plasmofluidics.
Brian Mann
Professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science
Research Interests: Nonlinear dynamics and vibration utilizing analytical, numerical, and experimental techniques. Fundamental investigations of phenomenon and application areas where dynamical systems theory plays an important role.
Piotr E. Marszalek
Professor of Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science
Research Interests: Investigating relationships between structural and mechanical properties of biopolymers (polysaccharides, DNA, proteins), at a single molecule level.
David Needham
Professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science
Research Interests: Combining the fields of materials science with colloid and surface chemistry to focus on biological and other soft wet materials
Xiaoyue Ni
Assistant Professor of Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science
Research Interests: Flexible electronics, precision measurement, non-destructive testing, deformation physics of random media, mechanical metamaterials, robotic materials and smart structures, machine learning
Christine K. Payne
Yoh Family Associate Professor of Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science
Research Interests: Molecular mechanisms by which cells interact with materials, specifically nanoparticles and conducting polymers, with applications in nanomedicine and environmental exposure
Michael Rubinstein
Aleksandar S. Vesic Distinguished Professor
Research Interests: Polymer theory and computer simulations
Shyni Varghese
Professor of Biomedical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering & Materials Science and Orthopaedics
Research Interests: Musculoskeletal tissue repair, disease biophysics and organ-on-a-chip technology
Jennifer L West
Fitzpatrick Family University Distinguished Professor of Engineering
Research Interests: Biomaterials, nanotechnology and tissue engineering that involves the synthesis, development, and application of novel biofunctional materials, and the use of biomaterials and engineering approaches to study biological problems.
Benjamin Yellen
Associate Professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science
Research Interests: Development of single cell analysis tools using magnetic circuits, and multiparticle assembly of colloidal crystals
Stefan Zauscher
Bass Fellow
Research Interests: Nano-mechanical and nano-tribological characterization (elasticity, friction, adhesion) of materials including organic thin films; self-assembled monolayers, polymeric gels, and cellulosics; Fabrication of polymeric nanostructures by scanning probe lithography; Colloidal probe...
Pei Zhong
Professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science
Research Interests: Ultrasound-targeted gene delivery and activation; Synergistic combination of high-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) and immunotherapy for cancer treatment; Innovations in shock wave lithotripsy (SWL) technology; and Mechanics and bioeffects of acoustic cavitation.
Daniel Buckland
Assistant Professor of Surgery
Research Interests: Medical device development, acute care technology, space medicine, remote medicine, autonomous medical devices.
Ashutosh Chilkoti
Alan L. Kaganov Distinguished Professor of Biomedical Engineering
Research Interests: Focused on biomolecular materials and biointerface science and emphasizes the development of applications that span the range from bioseparations, biosensors, biomaterials, and targeted drug delivery.
Patrick James Codd
Assistant Professor of Neurosurgery
Research Interests: Minimally invasive neurosurgical device development and neurosurgical robotics.
Louis Edwin DeFrate
Professor in Orthopaedic Surgery
Dennis Onyeka Frank-Ito
Associate Professor in Head and Neck Surgery & Communication Sciences
Research Interests: Modeling the effects of human airway anatomy on respiratory airflow patterns, deposition of inhaled gases and particle transport using computational fluid dynamics.
Shivanand Lad
Associate Professor of Neurosurgery
Research Interests: Neurotrophin biology, neuroregeneration, medical device design
Roberto Jose Manson
Adjunct Assistant Professor in the Department of Surgery
Rendon C. Nelson
Reed and Martha Rice Distinguished Professor of Radiology, in the School of Medicine
Research Interests: Diagnostic imaging of the liver, detection and characterization of focal and diffuse processes by US, CT and MRI; percutaneous image-guided thermal ablation of hepatic and renal tumors.
Amanda Randles
Alfred Winborne and Victoria Stover Mordecai Assistant Professor of Biomedical Sciences
Research Interests: Biomedical simulation and high-performance computing
Benjamin J. Wiley
Professor of Chemistry
Research Interests: In the Wiley Group, we make new nanomaterials by controlling the assembly of atoms in solution, and explore applications for nanomaterials in medicine, catalysis, plasmonics, and electronics. Our goal is to precisely control the size, shape, and composition of materials on the...